Do Your Research FIRST!

By Laura R. Vandiver, Senior Research Strategist I can’t tell you how many times clients come to me and say “We launched a blog but we’re not getting any response from our target group,” or, “We have been offering our new product for several months, but our marketing efforts are falling flat.” The first question Read More

TVG Earns Three Communicator Awards in 2019 Competition

The Vandiver Group (TVG) has won three  2019 Communicator awards – one for a multimedia campaign and two for printed publications — at the 25th Annual Communicator Awards. TVG earned an Award of Distinction for its multimedia public engagement campaign for a public utility group’s rate commission work in 2018. This new category recognizes the innovative Read More

Five FREE New Year’s Resolutions

New Year, New Habits: Five FREE New Year’s Resolutions By TVG Staff A new year brings new opportunities to better yourself. Although weight loss supplements and gym memberships are out there, they won’t be as easy on your budget as these five New Year’s Resolutions that won’t cost you a dime. Read Everyday We subscribe Read More

Part 1: PR Buzzwords

by TVG Staff The business world is notorious for using jargon and industry-specific language, and PR is no exception.  Understanding this can help you better communicate what your company needs, or what your communication professionals are trying to tell you. Here at TVG, we’ve created a glossary of common terms used in the world of Read More

Sales: The Forgotten PR Skill

By Laura Vandiver, TVG Senior Research Strategist There are many skills required to be a fantastic PR practitioner. Great communication skills, of course, top the list. But it also helps to have social media savvy, be a crisis navigation expert, understand the media and how to deal with them, be a fantastic writer, and also Read More

THE VIDEO INTERVIEW: PART 2 – YOU, THE INTERVIEWEE

The Video Interview Part Two: Being Interviewed by Rich McEwen, TVG Media Specialist There are techniques you can use as the subject of a video interview to make sure you communicate your message in a way that is concise and easy to edit. Know your story. Know in advance what your key message points are Read More

The Power of Public Speaking

By Andy Likes, Senior Vice President, The Vandiver Group It’s one of those things that’s typically not on someone’s bucket list; get up in front of an audience and “say a few words.”  There mere thought of public speaking creates anxiety and strikes fear into the hearts of most people.  In fact, it’s one of Read More

How to Write a Press Release

Crafting a Press Release: Six Steps to Keep in Mind By Andrew Woodcock, TVG Account Executive The backbone to being a good PR pro is being a good writer. I’ve heard it countless times: if you don’t know how to write, you won’t be hired by a PR firm. And it makes sense: writing is Read More

Viewing Tips for the Total Solar Eclipse

Viewing Tips for the Total Solar Eclipse By Andy Likes, TVG Senior Vice President Short of living under a rock, everyone should know about this Monday’s eclipse. The St. Louis region will have a front row seat for the event, if the meteorologists are right. Here’s hoping for a mostly cloud-free view of the totality, Read More

Best Practices for New Interns (Besides Keeping the Coffee Pot Full)

Six Best Practices for New Interns By Andrew Woodcock, TVG Account Executive Congratulations! You just landed an internship at the PR agency of your dreams! What’s next? Besides scheduling a trip to the store for new clothes, office supplies and cubicle decorations, you’re going to want to prepare for the culture and environment of working Read More

Messaging: A New Era of Business Communications, Part 2

Best Practices for Businesses Using Facebook Messenger By Nate Shryock, TVG Manager of Digital Strategy In Part 1 of this blog series, we outlined how messaging apps can be useful business tools. Today, we’ll explore some best practices for businesses who want to use Facebook Messenger to communicate with their customers. Respond promptly Facebook publicly displays Read More

The Reality of Crisis Communications

The Reality of Crisis Communications By Andy Likes, TVG Senior Vice President In light of the recent events in the media, we wanted to share this piece written last year by our crisis communications and reputation management pro, Andy Likes. Not “If,” but “When” Throughout my 20+ years in broadcast journalism and public relations, I’ve Read More